New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-06
A WARNING FROM LINCOLNSHIRE

The Lincolnshire farmers have succeeded in
confounding the most adroit party managers
in England. The return of a GladstOnian for
Spalding, which was regarded as stanch
Tory constituency, has proved startling sur
prise for the Government. Ordinarily there
are many explanations offered for an unex-
pectcd political reverse. but in this instance the
number of voters changing sides is SO large
that the Tories are utterly confouBded. A
member of the Ministry in conversation with
our London correspondent makes a desperate
attempt 10 account for the defeat on the theory
that the Government candidate was too ont
spoken on the ject Of corn laws. He told
the Lincolnshire farmers that food would
never again be taxed in England, and they.
through disgust or Encouragement, allowed
the election to 60 by default. Undoubtedly
there is growing feeling among the agricult-
ural classes that their impOverishment is due
to the importation Of cheap food products by
which their own industries have been ruined
II seems incredible, however, that Tory
should have been defeated by these classes Oh
this question. Lord Salisbury is a protection
ist in sympathies the few members of Parha-
ment in favor of taxing food are without ex-
ccption Conservatives; and the farmers and
agricultural laborers know that the Liberals
are unequivocally committed to the present
economic system. Hodge may do MANY lncom-
prehensible things. but surely he will not elect
a Gladstonian with any expectation Of his turn
ing cut protecGOnist. On the other hand, hls
sudden conversion to Home Rule Is an unex-
planned mystery. The Gladstonian candidate
increased his vote by nearly thousand. A
similar change in the English constituencies
would bring in Home Rule Ministry by
great majority, and there Is little reason for
believing that the Coercion bill has produced
such a revolution in public sentiment.
The Spalding election has the effect mo-
mentarily of greatly encouraging the Liberals.
There is marked change OF tone In MIR. Olad-
stones speeches he no longer hesitates to at
tack Lord Harrington, and he makes haste to
dilute and weaken the equivOcal concessions
recently offered to Liberal Unionists and his
leutenants, Mr.. Morley and Sir William Har-
court, fall with fury upon Mr.. Goschen and his
colleagues. New vigOr will be impaired to tho
Home Rule cause, and Ministers will no longer
console themselves with the reflection that
while matters are going from bad to worse in
ireland, the English constituencies are more
strongly In their favor than they were last
year. The effect of the Liberal triumph
may be speedily countcractcd by other
bye-elections speedily to be held. in which the
Tories will have some marked advantages
North Paddington they surely can carry, and
The four seats Basingstoke, st. Ives, Coventry
and Hornsey) vacated by the distribution OF
Jubilee pceragcs ought to be easily held BY
them. Their party managers will make siren
nous efforts 70 bring out full vote in all these
boroughs and divisions. In this attempt they
will appreciate the loss sustained by the Gov
crnmcnt when Lord Randolph Churchill lett
the Treasury bench. He at least knew what
was uppermost in Hodges mind and had the
trick of catching the ear Of the democratic
voter. There is not Minister on the front
bench who can inspire the masses in doubtful
constituencies with confidence and enthusiasm.